Right Now . . .

Chicago Poetry Press is pleased and excited to announce that the Board of Contributing Editors for THE PUSHCART PRIZE: BEST OF THE SMALL PRESSES (43rd Edition) has nominated Mary Jo Balistreri’s poem "Winter Sunset, Naples, Florida" from Chicago Poetry Press' publication The Poetry Writer's Guide to the Galaxy (Journal of Modern Poetry 20) for inclusion in PP XLIII to be published this November. I was informed of this through a letter signed by Bill Henderson, the Publisher of Best of the Small Press. If Mary Jo’s poem makes the final cut into the book we will be notified in May. Congrats to Mary Jo!!!

Now Accepting Submissions for Journal of Modern Poetry Volume 21
Final Deadline is 11 PM Central Time, Sunday, March 18, 2018
JOMP 21 is scheduled to be released on Saturday, April 28, at Harold Washington Library

Dear Poets,

Chicago Poetry Press is honored to announce an open call for submissions of poetry and short prose, for the 21st, that’s right 21st volume of Journal of Modern Poetry. In 2018, I will be sending your poetry to a big white house located in Washington, DC.

My Dear Poets, over the past year one voice has dominated the national discourse, usually at a rate of 140 characters at a time. Now it’s time for the poets of this country to offer a rebuttal. This is why Chicago Poetry Press is announcing its intention to publish JOMP 21: Dear Mr. President, a politically and socially charged issue of JOMP that is scheduled to take this country by storm in the spring of 2018, starting at the annual Poetry Fest at Harold Washington Library on Saturday, April 28.

Chicago Poetry Press is seeking “Social and Political” poetry designed to respectfully educate the Commander in Chief (whoever that might be at the time of publication) about the world that exists outside of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Seems our fellow Americans in the administration just might have gotten a little lost in a universe of alternative facts, and it’s our duty as citizens to set the record straight for them; so, send me your best socially conscious or politically infused poetry or short prose. If your work is selected for publication, it will be delivered directly to the White House so that the President of the United States has an opportunity to read it. It will also be made available to the public through online bookstores, Amazon.com as well as right here at PoetryAward.org.

This is your chance to give POTUS something else to read as he’s fiddling around with Twitter in the wee hours of the morning. Off the top of my head, some of the subjects you might want to touch upon may include: gun control, social media, cyber bullying, racial relations, sexual harassment awareness, alternative facts, narcissism, democracy, elections, foreign relations, disasters and disaster relief, taking a knee, health care, mental health, crowds, a wall, immigration, maturity, grieving, or any other covfefe you might have written about or plan to write about. These are just a few examples of possible running themes, but I’m not suggesting you need to choose any of them. This is YOUR chance to offer your rebuttal and perhaps even enlighten the Head of State with your poetry. What you want to write about is up to you.

Guidelines to Getting Your Poetry into the White House
Please take the time to read and understand the following about the submission process.

--Journal of Modern Poetry (JOMP) is celebrating its lucky 21 with a volume of poetry that is guaranteed to raise a few eyebrow. I am seeking to showcase some of the best social and political poetry written today, whether it is traditional or experimental. All form, style and length will be considered from published as well as previously unpublished poets. Your poetry can address the theme directly, or it may take a more abstract approach. If you feel your work touches upon the theme in any way, shape or form I want to see it.

To clarify: the word "President" or "Trump" doesn't have to appear in your poem anywhere. I'm looking for quality poetry that you would like the President to read, something that might enlighten him. It doesn't have to be directed to him or be about him. It just has to be good poetry.

--Q: Does my entry donation guarantee that I will be published in JOMP 21?

A: No. Your non-refundable entry donation is considered a subscription to JOMP 21. You will receive a copy of the Dear Mr. President Anthology whether or not your work is accepted for publication. I will attempt to include as much work as possible so that the anthology represents a wide diversity of voices, but let’s be honest—no publication accepts every single submission it receives.

--Q: What if I support the President? Will I still be given a fair shot? Will my work still be considered for possible publication?

A: Absolutely. The mission of Journal of Modern Poetry 21 will be to enlighten our leadership. Even if you voted for and support your leadership, you have to admit there is still room for improvement. I was a supporter of previous administrations as well, but if given this same opportunity, I could have easily come up with a dozen shortcomings about which to enlighten them. So if you’re a supporter and submit poetry in support of your leadership, good poetry that is honest and with good intentions, it will be considered along with all the other poems. Here’s your shot to express what’s on your mind.

--All poets 18 years old or older will be given equal consideration. You do not have to be from Chicago to get published by Chicago Poetry Press. In the past we have published poets from all over the country and even some from across the globe.

--What kind of poetry has a chance? All types. I'm looking for quality work. The best way to get a sense of what writing I have honored in the past is to purchase one of Chicago Poetry Press' publications, all of which I have edited (see buttons to the upper right of this page for ordering information). The only way you won’t have a chance at getting published is if you don’t submit your work.

--Please send only original work written by you. Poetry (or short works of prose) must be primarily in the English language. Previously published work is okay for consideration into JOMP 21 (please cite previous publications and make sure copyright has reverted back to you).

--Poets may submit up to five poems for consideration. You do not have to make additional entry donations for each poem; just make the one donation. I highly encourage all poets to send more than one poem if you have it, in order to increase your odds of getting published.

--You may update your entry prior to the final deadline. What does this mean? It means if you have rewritten your poem, or if you have a new poem that you want to add to your submission, you can send me an update to your file at no additional cost as long as I get it before the final deadline. This is something unique to JOMP. It gives you a lot of flexibility to tweak your submission as the final deadline approaches. This is expected to be particularly useful given the theme at hand and how quickly our political landscape is changing. I want the submission I have from you to be the strongest and most relevant submission possible, so I will work with you if you feel the need to improve it along the way.

To clarify: once your submission donation has been received, I will create a file for you. When you submit your poetry by email, I will add it to your file. You may add or subtract poems from your file, or send updated or rewritten work, at any point, all the way up until the final deadline. Once the final deadline has expired, whatever is in your file will be considered your final submission and no alterations may be made after that point.

OKAY. HERE’S YOUR CHANCE TO TELL IT LIKE IT IS.

To submit to Dear Mr. President, first use PayPal to contribute your $21 entry donation, which entitles you to a copy of the 21st Issue of JOMP, shipping included, whether you are selected for publication or not.

Once you have subscribed with your entry donation, a file will be created for you and you will have until the final deadline to submit up to five of your best poems (review the theme above) to Publisher@ChicagoPoetry.com.

The best way to submit your poetry is as an attachment in Microsoft Word or Works (no pdfs please) with all your poetry included in one SINGLE document (not five separate documents please). Use a standard font and do not attach any images as they will not be used. Use your own name as the title of your document.

Please include a cover letter introducing yourself, as well as a three or four sentence biography, and include all necessary contact information. Make sure your current mailing address is included. Updates about this project will be sent to you by email so make sure to include your current email address.

All materials must be received for your entry to be considered, so here is a checklist.
1. Entry donation made through PayPal.
2. Submission of up to five poems emailed as attachment in Word.
3. Short cover letter introducing yourself.
4. Short bio. about yourself to be included in book if accepted.
5. The mailing address where you want your copy of the book to be shipped, and your email address where you want to receive updates.

DEADLINE: The FINAL deadline to send your poetry is Sunday, March 18, 11 PM Central Time.

If you have any questions do not be shy. Contact me at Publisher@ChicagoPoetry.com and I will personally reply back with any clarifications.

Journal of Modern Poetry Volume 21 is determined to start an important public discourse with yet another chapter in Chicago Poetry Press' tradition of publishing the freshest and highest quality poetry. I hope you are as anxious about this as I am, and I can't wait to read your submissions.

At long last, the wait is finally over. Chicago Poetry Press is pleased to announce a brand new open call for submissions of poetry, for the twentieth, that’s right TWENTIETH volume of Journal of Modern Poetry. In 2017, we will launch poetry into the final frontier and poetry will go where no poetry has gone before. My Dear Poets, get out your telescopes and fuel your rockets to prepare yourselves for JOMP 20: The Poetry Writer’s Guide to the Galaxy, an extraterrestrial themed issue of JOMP that is scheduled for blast off in the spring of 2017.

JOMP 20: The Poetry Writer’s Guide to the Galaxy will be released at the Chicago Poetry Press table during the Chicago Public Library's annual Poetry Fest from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, 2017, at the Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State Street. This all-day event will also include keynote speaker Juan Felipe Herrera as well as workshops, performances, readings, and other exhibitors.

Chicago Poetry Press is still seeking “Galactic” poetry (whatever that means to you). First we will launch poetry to the moon. As a matter of fact, there will be an entire chapter in JOMP 20 dedicated to poetry about the moon. So get out your best moon poems, whether they be about a full moon, a lunar eclipse, the rising tides, a romantic pie in the sky, the moon landing, the man in the moon, the moon cycles—even if your poem is about a werewolf barking at the moon, I want to see it!

Next, prepare to journey beyond the moon. I want to see your “galactic” poetry. Do you have poetry about Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or Neptune? I bet you have a poem about Pluto! How about the moons of other planets? Do you have poetry about the sun, the stars or the constellations, about outer space, inner space, about space travel, time travel, about alien life, the speed of light, or about astrology or astronomy? Other topics might include black holes, comets, meteors or meteorites, and just about anything in the universe that you can imagine. If it's out there and you have written about it, send it to me.

ENTER TO WIN ONE OF TWO $120.00 CASH PRIZES

In honor of our twentieth issue anniversary, this time around, I will be selecting two poems out of all the submissions to receive the GALACTIC POETRY PRIZE. The authors of the winning poems will each receive $120. One poem will be selected for each of these two categories:

*Best Moon Poem will receive publication and a $120 cash prize.

*Best Galactic Poem (other than a moon poem) will also receive publication and a $120 cash prize.

Your Guide to the Poetic Galaxy

--Journal of Modern Poetry (JOMP) is celebrating its big TWO OH with a volume of poetry that is guaranteed to be “out of this world.” I am seeking to showcase some of the best poetry written today, whether it is traditional or experimental. All form, style and length will be considered from published as well as previously unpublished poets. Your poem can address the theme of the galaxy directly or it may take a more abstract approach. If you feel your work touches upon the theme in any way, I want to see it.

--Does your entry donation guarantee that you will be published in JOMP 20? No. Your entry donation is considered a subscription to JOMP 20 and an entry into the contest. You will receive a copy of The Poetry Writer’s Guide to the Galaxy whether or not your work is accepted for publication. However, as usual, I will attempt to include as much work as possible so that the anthology represents a wide diversity of voices.

--All poets 18 years old or older will be given equal consideration. You do not have to be from Chicago to submit to Chicago Poetry Press. In the past I have published poets from all around the country as well as the world.

--What kind of poetry has a chance? All types. I'm looking for quality work. The best way to get a sense of what writing I have honored in the past is to purchase one of Chicago Poetry Press' publications, all of which I have edited (see buttons to the upper right of this page for ordering information). The only way you won’t have a chance at getting published is if you don’t submit your work.

--Please send only original work written by you. Poetry (or short works of prose) must be primarily in the English language. Previously published work is okay for consideration into JOMP 20 (please cite previous publications and make sure copyright has reverted back to you).

--Poets may submit up to five poems for consideration. I highly encourage all poets to send more than one entry if you have it, in order to increase your odds.

--You may update your entry prior to the final deadline. What does this mean? It means if you have rewritten your poem, or if you have a new poem that you want to add to your submission, you can send me an update to your file at no additional cost as long as I get it before the final deadline. This is something unique to JOMP. It gives you a lot of flexibility to tweak your submission as the final deadline approaches. I want the submission I have from you to be the strongest submission possible, so I will work with you if you feel the need to improve it along the way.

To clarify: once your submission donation has been received, a file will be created for you. You may add or subtract poems from your file, or send updated or rewritten work, at any point, all the way up until the final deadline. Once the final deadline has expired, whatever is in your file will be considered your final submission and no alterations may be made after that point.

--If at any time it is determined that enough submissions have been received to sustain the publication, ChicagoPoetry.com reserves the right to halt this open call. This means that priority will be given to early submissions, so it's wise not to wait until the last minute to create your contest file. Traditionally, as I review the work periodically throughout the submission process, certain poems tend to be pre-selected and certain running themes begin to emerge. Last minute submissions would then be expected to fit in with what has already been selected, making it harder for last minute submissions to make the cut. This is why it is highly encouraged that you make your submissions as early as possible. Remember, you can always tweak your submission any time before the final deadline if you've rewritten your work or have a new poem to add.

OKAY. IT'S TIME TO LAUNCH YOUR POETRY FOR POSSIBLE PUBLICATION.

To submit to The Poetry Writer’s Guide to the Galaxy anthology, first use PayPal to contribute your $20 entry donation, which entitles you to a copy of the book, shipping included, whether you are selected for publication or not, as well as entry into the Galactic Poetry Contest.

Once you have subscribed with your entry donation, a file will be created for you and you will have until the final deadline to submit up to five of your best poems (review the theme above) to Publisher@ChicagoPoetry.com.

The best way to submit your poetry is as an attachment in Microsoft Word or Works (no pdfs please) with all your poetry included in one SINGLE document (not five separate documents please). Use a standard black font and do not attach any images. Please include a cover letter introducing yourself, as well as a three or four sentence biography, and include all necessary contact information. (Please, even if you have submitted in the past, include your short biography so that I don’t have to go searching for it. Thank you.) Make sure your current mailing address is included especially if it is different than the one associated with your PayPal account if you have one. Updates will occasionally be sent to you by email so make sure I have your current email address.

DEADLINE: The FINAL DEADLINE HAS EXPIRED. WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS FOR THIS PROJECT..

If you have any questions do not be shy. Contact me at Publisher@ChicagoPoetry.com and I will personally reply back with any clarifications.

Journal of Modern Poetry Volume 20 promises to blast off yet another chapter in Chicago Poetry Press' tradition of publishing the freshest and highest quality poetry. I hope you are as excited about this as I am, and I can't wait to read your submissions.

Chicago Poetry Press is proud to announce the release of Journal of Modern Poetry Volume 19: Poetry of Protest, a 94 page book featuring 54 poems written by 41 poets, with a full color glossy cover.

JOMP 19 will be available for purchase on Amazon.com as well as through several online bookstores, and will also be available at the Poetry Festival on April 30 at Harold Washington Library. You can use the link provided below to order a discounted copy directly through ChicagoPoetry.com.

This is a very important issue of JOMP. It touches upon many contemporary themes and will serve as a testimony to these times of protest that we live in. Get your copy for $12 and get free shipping by using THIS LINK.

Here's your chance to order your copy of The Official Poets' Guide to Peace, and since we know you'll want to share this book with a friend, all orders will be doubled: that's right, you will receive two books for the price of one (does not apply to Amazon.com orders).

CLICK HERE to order your copy through PayPal and your books will be shipped to you free of charge.

.Here it is, the much anticipated sequel to the highly popular Vape Mania. Prepare yourself for ten times the insanity, ten times the hilarity, ten times the intrigue and, of course, ten times the vaping.

Melvin Provario is back: with a vengeance! Angel of Vape begins right where Vape Mania left off. Join Melvin in this adventure as he tries to exonerate himself to the vaping community while at the same time taking on a ruthless cigarette bootlegging ring.

Vape Mania is the only series in existence with a vaper as the main protagonist, set in an e-cigarette community filled with vaping culture. Can Melvin Provario vape his way out of this mess? Buy Angel of Vape now and find out!

Angel of Vape is not available through Kindle. It's designed to have a physical place on your e-juice shelf. Please support printed literature by purchasing a Vaporacle title today.

About this book of impressive poems: There is something poignantly beautiful in the lovely lines that come off the page to reach into the heart and mind. Always there on the edge of aware. Joe Carey's "Postcards from Poland" also has something of that loving slant of insight always there in a mind at peace with the time and place. His award winning book of 41 postcard poems reveal what Joe Carey cares about: the language and rhythm of truth.

Ken Nordine, Legendary “Word-Jazz” Originator

Chicago Poetry Press is pleased to announce the release of Postcards from Poland, written by Joseph Kuhn Carey of Glencoe, IL, a Journal of Modern Poetry Book Award Selection. The poems in Mr. Carey's manuscript were composed over three years after the author took an inspiring journey with his family to the Polish cities of Krakow & Zakopane. The "artistic travel-log" nature of the poems present the sights, sounds and colorful events occurring in and around these two mysterious, gorgeous and overlooked cities, which are home to ancient castles, fantastic museums, breath-taking churches, soaring cable-car rides, astonishing mountains, and amazing nightclubs set deep in medieval cellars, as well as nearby horrific and powerfully enlightening WWII death camp locations. The author Joe Carey says: "There is something essential and important in these two cities for the older and younger Polish generations. For the older generation, Krakow and Zakopane represent things that survived WWII intact and largely untouched—while to the younger generation, the two cities represent the vibrant, energetic and robust side of Polish life."

Joseph Kuhn Carey is the recipient of an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)/Deems Taylor Award for music-related writing (for articles written about jazz artist/composers Carla Bley, Charlie Haden and Anthony Braxton) and a Grammy-voting member of The Recording Academy. He’s published a chapbook of poetry (“Bulk-Rate”) and a book on jazz (“Big Noise From Notre Dame: A History of The Collegiate Jazz Festival,” University of Notre Dame Press) and has released two “Loose Caboose Band” CDs of original children’s songs with his brother, Bill, entitled “The Caboose is Loose” and “Mighty Big Broom,” the latter of which garnered two first-round Grammy nominations in 2008 (both recordings, and all of the individual songs, are available on iTunes, CDbaby.com and Amazon.com). He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Fine Arts (in Creative Writing) degree from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a Master of Science in Mass Communication degree from Boston University. He’s traveled the country interviewing bakers for Bakery Magazine, written about jazz & blues artists for Down Beat, JazzTimes and The Boston Globe, and his poems have been selected in the Journal of Modern Poetry’s JOMP 15 and JOMP 16 Poetry Contests, the Writer’s Digest 7th Annual Poetry Awards Contest & 80th Annual Writing Competition, Highland Park Poetry’s 2013 “Poetry That Moves” & 2013 “Poetry Challenge” contests and the Evanston Public Library’s 2013 35th Annual Jo-Anne Hirschfield Memorial Poetry Awards. When not scribbling poems, stories and songs on all available scraps of paper to read to his wife and sons over dinner, he runs a successful multi-state property management business.

Here is a buoyant and bountiful love letter to Krakow, with a receptive spirit for everything from Szarlotka and clopping horses, to salt mines, to McDonalds-in-the-catacombs. Joe Carey has made poetry without cynicism or bad temper (though with a touch of irony here and there), always curious and open to the “outdoor swagger” of the land and to “what’s going on inside". A pleasure to read.

Janet Burroway, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-Nominated Novelist, Poet, Playwright and Children’s Book Author

Chicago Poetry Press is pleased to announce the release of Jennifer Dotson's wonderful new book, Clever Gretel, the first Journal of Modern Poetry Book Award Selection.

Chicago Poetry Press is offering copies of Clever Gretel for its cover price of $12 with $2.99 shipping (within the United States), when ordered directly through the publisher via PayPal (allow a week for delivery).

On Saturday, April 27, Chicago Poetry Press held the Official Book Release Event for Clever Gretel at Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State Street, during the annual Poetry Fest that included a Clever Gretel book signing in the main lobby. Other Poetry Fest highlights included a panel discussion moderated by Chicago Poetry Press publisher CJ Laity and a reading by Campbell McGrath.

On Sunday, July 7, Jennifer Dotson appeared for a book signing at the Pop Up Book Fair at the Empty Bottle in Chicago.

Copies of Clever Gretel are also available for purchase at Women & Children First, 5233 N. Clark St., Chicago.

PRAISE FOR CLEVER GRETEL

Click Here to open a pdf file and read an article about Jennifer Dotson written by Greg Shapiro for The North Shore Weekend.

There's much to like here, from the cracked music of the title through your deft expressions of form to your cagey litany of postmodern cultural icons encountered in crazy places. Mythic and mundane meet in these poems in meaningful and often hilarious ways.

Kevin Stein, Poet Laureate of Illinois

"In Clever Gretel, Jennifer Dotson’s poems transform the straw of everyday womanhood to that which glows with the luminosity of simple truth. Utilizing a playful sense of the magically real, she sleuths for meaning-- in misplaced glasses, in the chipped veneer of Art Deco dressers, in the empty jar of celery salt, in her nightmare “plummet into space.” As a reader I peered through the window of Jennifer's words into the grace of family life and her 'fortune shone on me.'"

Maureen Tolman Flannery, author of Ancestors in the Landscape

"Clever Gretel explores life's loves, losses, anxieties and joys in a voice sagacious yet candid enough to discuss acne over a latte. Even Dotson's forays into the worlds of mythology and superheroes stay grounded in the contemporary problems of junk mail and low-carb diets. In one poem the speaker says of the Muse, 'I don't remember what she looks like'-- but you will certainly find her here in this refreshing debut."

Tania Runyan, author of Delicious Air (Finishing Line Press).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Dotson received her B.A. in English Literature & Theatre Arts from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and her M.F.A. in Drama from the University of Virginia. She is the founder and program coordinator for HighlandParkPoetry.org. She leads creative writing and memoir classes for the District 113 Continuing Education Program at Highland Park High School.

Chicago Poetry Press supports the continued production of books that are made out of paper and that are read from a page; this is why Clever Gretel is not currently available as an e-book. Chicago Poetry Press promises to publish quality poetry, beautifully published and reasonably priced.

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ChicagoPoetry.com is proud to present the winning poem in its 2012 Best Modern Poem Contest as well as the six poems selected for 2013 ChicagoPoetry.com Pushcart Prize Nominations.

The following seven honored poems (along with the poetry of 56 runners-up) appear in Journal of Modern Poetry (JOMP), a 100-page, perfect bound volume, which is the fourteenth installment in the Poetry Cram series, published by ChicagoPoetry.com Press. In addition, the recipient of the Best Modern Poem Award received a $200 cash prize. The honored poets and poems are . . .
Note: Click Here to find out who received these honors and to read the selected poems.

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On Wednesday, October 24, at 7 PM, the Chicago Poetry Scene converged for a one night only performance at the Viaduct Theater, 3111 N. Western Ave, to celebrate the release of Journal of Modern Poetry, the fourteenth edition in the Poetry Cram series. Some of the most talented as well as lettered poets in Illinois read samples of their work in this prestigious event. The event was free and open to the public.
Note: Click Here to learn more about the poets who were showcased at this, the biggest poetry event of the year.

ChicagoPoetry.com is pleased to announce that 71 poems, written by 63 poets, from Chicago and 20 other Illinois cities, and from 13 states across the country, as well as from the UK, Romania and Ecuador, have been chosen as runners-up in the Poetry Cram 14: Journal of Modern Poetry (aka, JOMP) competition.

JOMP is a 100 page 6' x 9' perfect bound volume of poetry with a full color glossy cover that was released on October 24 at the huge Chicago Poetry party at the Viaduct Theater, 3111 N. Western Ave, from 7 to 10 PM. Over thirty poets featured in JOMP read for the event. The event was FREE and open to the public. For more information about the theater please click here.

All 300 copies of the first run of JOMP were given away free to the contributing poets as well as to audience members at the event, and now JOMP is available through an extended run for $12:CLICK HERE.

Congratulations go out to the Winners of the 2012 Contemporary American Poetry Prize competition. The cash awards are based on percentages of the entry fees collected during the submission process, making this, the inaugural CAPP contest, one of the largest cash prizes for poetry in the Chicago area.

In addition, three poets have been selected to receive Honorable Mentions for their outstanding work, and twenty poets have been selected as Runners Up, whose work ChicagoPoetry.com is proud to showcase in a print edition of Poetry Cram 13 that will be given away free at this year's Chicago Public Library Poetry Fest as well as here, in this, the very first online edition of Poetry Cram.

Please click on the poets' names below in order to read the winning poems, and you can also download your own printable copy of Poetry Cram 13 in pdf format (see instructions below).

All work published at ChicagoPoetry.com is copyrighted. Feel free to link to it but please don't republish without permission.

Download Instructions: In order to download your own print copy of Poetry Cram Volume 13, CLICK HERE to open the pdf file in your browser. Use the disk icon on top of the file to save a copy to your computer so that you can forward it to all your friends. Use the printer icon to print it up (preferably double sided) and then staple it. Wallah!!

Won't work with your old browser? Email me at Publisher@ChicagoPoetry.com and I'll send back a copy.Judge. This year's CAPP judge was Charlie Rossiter, host of the audio website PoetryPoetry.com, who is an NEA Fellowship recipient and three-time Pushcart Prize nominee. He is the author of four books of poetry and numerous chapbooks, including The Night We Danced With the Raelettes and All Over America: Road Poems (FootHills Publications, 2009), which is based on 60,000+ miles or road trip experiences throughout U.S. and Canada. He is also the co-author of the book Back Beat, of which Lawrence Ferlinghetti said: "Back Beat beats everything for being beater than the Beats." Rossiter's poetry has also been featured on National Public Radio, the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival in New Jersey as well as at the Chicago Blues Festival. He has led poetry workshops all over the country. PoetryAward.org is proud to have Mr. Rossiter serve as the judge for the inaugural Contemporary American Poetry Prize.

Sponsor. PoetryAward.org and the Contemporary American Poetry Prize is sponsored by CJ Laity, twelve year veteran publisher of ChicagoPoetry.com, curator of the Poetry Cram Magazine contest and twenty year host of poetry events and festivals for such distinguished venues as the Chicago Public Library, the Poetry Foundation's Printers Ball and the Chicago Tribune Printers Row Book Fair.

I REALLY ENJOYED POINT NEMO. I love all the dry humor--plentiful throughout. For instance, a line involving wild roses and children throwing stones made me laugh out loud. The novel is very dream-like and cool and CJ Laity sets himself up with a difficult task-- a story within a story within a story but he handles it all so well and with such clarity there is never any confusion.

--Sue Cargill, Chicago

Point Nemo launches CJ Laity into the company of futuristic writers like HG Wells, Jules Verne, Aldous Huxley and Ernest Callenbach; he also channels Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels in his exploration of a rogue island nation. Laity poetically provides readers with a procession of characters and events at once Utopian and dystopian, all prophetically written as parallel narrative to today's tumultuous headlines.

--Carlos Cumpián, author of Armadillo Charm (Tia Chucha Press)

CJ Laity has created a work of speculative fiction that is entertaining, engaging and a perceptive piece of social commentary with a twist of an ending I guarantee you will never guess.

--Charlie Rossiter, co-author of Back Beat

'Point Nemo' by CJ Laity is a sharp and funny satire of the insanity that passes for contemporary American political and media sensibility in all of its collapsing imperial goodness.

--Larry Winfield, author of Banjo Strings

Thoroughly enjoyed Point Nemo, especially the end!!

--Julia Hattory, Houston, Texas

Point Nemo delivers an early twenty-first century dystopian novel, and an apt allegory for our times, with a twist. The artfulness of the narrator-protagonist ensures a cracking pace to the story . . .

--Tara Keogh, Chicago

Joseph Engel is convicted of treason and strapped to a gurney in the Terre Haute federal death chamber. When the warden asks him if he has any last words, Joe begins talking non-stop, telling the strange tale of how he ended up there, challenging the warden to quote him a law that puts a time limit on a prisoner's final statement. What happens when a populated island called the Sovereign Nation of Aurora is discovered at Point Nemo, the point in the ocean farthest away from any land? What happens when the king of the island, a dreadlocked man named Harmon, hacks into the entire American communications infrastructure with a video stream offering a trade proposal? What happens when an America controlled by an insane government plots to invade the island and turn it into a military base? What happens when a senator's cook named Joe unwittingly finds himself the American Ambassador to the island? Joe is going to tell you what happens, as he stalls his execution as long as possible. Can Joe talk his way out of the death chamber?

Poetry PublishingChicago Poetry Press publishes the highest quality poetry in beautiful, perfect bound editions. We rely on your continued support to operate, because we are not funded by any corporation, foundation, government agency or university. You can always contact
CJ Laity at Publisher@
ChicagoPoetry.com.